Han Duck-soo

Han Duck-soo (Korean: 한덕수; born 18 June 1949) is a South Korean diplomat, economist, and politician who served as the acting president of South Korea in December 2024 and from March to May 2025 and as the prime minister of South Korea from 2007 to 2008 and from 2022 to 2025.

Born in Jeonju, Han is the fifth person to hold the prime minister's office twice, having served under Presidents Roh Moo-hyun and Yoon Suk Yeol. He also held office as the minister of economy and finance from 2005 to 2006, the ambassador to the United States from 2009 to 2012, and the chairman of the Korea International Trade Association from 2012 to 2015.

After the impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol on 14 December 2024, Han became the acting president of South Korea. Thirteen days later, Han himself was also impeached by the National Assembly of South Korea due to his refusal to promulgate two special counsel bills that sought to investigate the impeached president Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon-hee, along with failing to appoint three National Assembly-designated candidates for the Constitutional Court of Korea. This ended his role as acting president and suspended his powers as prime minister, with both duties being transferred to Choi Sang-mok.

However, Han was reinstated as both acting president and prime minister on 24 March 2025, following a 7–1 vote from the court. After Yoon's removal from office in April 2025, Han was initially expected to serve as acting president until the 2025 presidential election, but he resigned on 1 May to launch an independent bid for president. After Kim Moon-soo's People Power Party nomination was rescinded from him on 10 May, Han was made the new nominee of the party. However, after the reinstatement of Kim as the nominee on the same day, Han withdrew his candidacy.